The present invention relates to a flat-panel display device in which a flat-shaped display cell is fixedly housed in a housing by means of a bezel.
In general, when assembling a flat-panel display device which comprises a flat-shaped display cell such as a liquid crystal display cell, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a so-called side fixing method is utilized for fastening elements together which requires housing a flat-shaped display cell 11 in a housing not shown with a display surface of the display cell open and to screw-fit a male screw 14 into a bezel 12 through an attaching member 13 which is disposed to a side wall portion of the housing.
The bezel 12 is formed by a metallic material into the shape of a picture frame, and as shown in FIG. 17, has a front-surface portion 15 and a side-surface portion 16 which approximately define the letter xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d in cross section. The front-surface portion 15 and the side-surface portion 16 cover the periphery of a front surface and side surfaces of the display cell 11, whereby the display cell 11 is fixed to the housing. Denoted at 17 is a backlight which is held by a frame 18 which is made of plastic or the like and disposed to a back surface of the display cell 11. The bezel 12 is fixedly fitted to the frame 18.
In such a flat-panel display device, in the case where there is a gap created between the side-surface portion 16 of the bezel 12 and the attaching member 13 disposed to the housing due to an outside dimensional tolerance of the display cell 11 or an outside dimensional tolerance of the housing, etc., as the male screw 14 is inserted through the attaching member 13 of the housing into engagement with a female screw 19 which is formed in the side-surface portion 16 of the bezel 12 and these elements are fastened together, the fastening force may deform the bezel 12 or the attaching member 13 disposed to the housing and may deviate the center of the housing from the center of the display screen 15.
FIGS. 16 and 17 show a state in which the fastening force pulls one side of the bezel 12 toward the attaching member 13 of the housing, thereby causing bending of the side of the bezel 12.
If the side of the bezel 12 bends in this manner, a display window of the bezel 12 also bends, inviting an inconvenience in that the display window of the housing and the display screen of the display cell 11 are not positionally aligned to each other. Further, with the side of the bezel 12 bent in this manner, downward force acts upon an inner side 15a of the front-surface portion 15 of the bezel 12 and strongly pressurizes a surface of the display cell 11. This may cause pooling due to vibration or disconnection of a tab due to a torsional load during use of the flat-panel display device.
On the other hand the fastening force of the male screw 14 deforms the housing in some cases, and since this is distortion created at an unspecified position, positional accuracy between the display cell 11 and the housing decreases, which may induce interference between the display screen of the display cell 11 and a front mask of the housing, etc.
A gap created between the bezel 12 fitted at the display cell 11 side and the housing due to a dimensional tolerance or the like leads to a problem in that the fastening force of the male screw 14 which fixes a space between the bezel 12 of the display cell 11 side and the housing creates distortion and various types of inconvenience.
The present invention has been made to solve the problems above. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flat-panel display device in which distortion due to the fastening force of a male screw is not created even when a dimensional tolerance or the like creates a gap between a bezel which is fitted with a display cell and a housing.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a flat-panel display device comprising a display cell which has a flat shape and includes a display screen in a surface, and a bezel for fixing which includes a front-surface portion having an opening portion and shaped like a picture frame and a side-surface portion disposed at sides of said front-surface portion, said bezel covering the periphery of a front surface and side surfaces of said display cell, said flat-panel display device allowing housing of said display cell, covered with said bezel, into a housing with said surface open,
wherein a portion of said side-surface portion of said bezel is deformably formed, a female screw is formed in the deformable portion, and said housing is fixedly screwed to said side-surface portion of said bezel which comprises said female screw.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, a slit is formed in said side-surface portion so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, a slit is formed above said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, slits are formed above and below said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first aspect of the present invention, slits are formed on the right-hand side and the left-hand side of said female screw so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the first to the fifth aspects of the present invention, an angle between said front-surface portion of said bezel and said side-surface portion of said bezel is larger than 90 degrees.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is directed to a flat-panel display device, comprising: a display cell which has a flat shape and includes a display screen on the surface; a backlight which is arranged on a back surface of said display cell; a flexible frame which holds said display cell and said backlight as one unit; and a bezel for fixing which includes a front-surface portion having an opening portion and shaped like a picture frame, and a side-surface portion disposed at sides of said front-surface portion, said bezel covering the periphery of a front surface of said display cell and a side-surface portion of said frame, said flat-panel display device allowing housing of said display cell, covered with said bezel, into a housing with said surface open, wherein an opening is formed in side-surface portion of said bezel, a portion of said side-surface portion of said frame is distortionably formed, a female screw is formed in said deformable portion of said side-surface portion of said frame, and a screw is engaged in said female screw from said housing through said opening of side-surface portion of said bezel.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the flat-panel display device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, said side-surface portion of said frame is formed thin so that a portion of said side-surface portion is deformable.
According to the present invention, the display cell does not become greatly deformed, which avoids various types of inconveniences induced by distortions.